The Beach, Reloaded

Rating: 6/10 (8 June 2003)

The Boyle and Garland team reload The Beach as a modern day horror movie. A group of post holocaust survivors discover refuge from marauding zombies with army remenants but their brief respite turns into a nightmare. In this movie Garland seems to explore similar themes to the beach but the lack of budget really shows.
The opening scenes of a deserted London are brilliant but much of the film looks like it was recorded on a domestic camcorder. The bits with the army look like one of those recruiting adverts. The lead actor is really annoying, spending a great deal of the movie shouting "hello?" like one of the Crankies!
Forgetting the fact that primate experiments are banned in the UK. The plot is so full of holes you could drive an army truck through them. For example, we are told that electricity has failed but when they raid a supermarket (miraculously intact and open) they lighting is obviously working. We also learn that the world managed to isolate Britain but their radio doesn't pick up any broadcasts from even France.
Unfortunately for Boyle it was all done much better by the BBC's Survivors in the 70s.